A battery cell has been proposed as a clean, efficient and environmentally responsible power source for an electric device such as an electric vehicle, for example. Typically, a plurality of individual battery cells is provided to supply an amount of electric power sufficient to operate the electric device. The plurality of individual battery cells must be physically supported and protected as well as be in electrical communication with each other and the electrical device. Further, it is often desired to provide cooling to the battery cells during a charging and a discharging thereof and venting of the battery cells.
A battery pack assembly is typically provided to support and protect the plurality of battery cells and facilitate placing individual battery cells in electrical communication with each other and with the associated electrical device. Additionally, the battery pack assembly often provides a cooling system to militate against undesirable overheating of the battery cells and a venting system. To provide such desired electrical communication, cooling, and venting, a complexity and cost of the battery pack assembly for use in a hybrid automobile is undesirably increased.
Additionally, it is desirable to mechanically and electrically connect adjacent individual battery cells with each other with a low electrical resistance connection, on the order of 30 micro-Ohms. It is also desirable to provide a voltage sense lead from each terminal of the individual battery so that electrical hardware can measure and adjust (via cell balancing) the voltage of each cell. Further, it is desirable that each battery cell inside the battery pack be provided with an isolated chamber or space that can capture and vent to a predetermined vent area any gases, liquids, or solids that the cell might expel should the cell experience a thermal runaway. Still further, it is desirable to provide coolant flow paths or channels within the battery pack assembly through which gaseous or liquid coolant may flow to cool the battery cells, wherein the coolant flow paths are isolated from the isolated chamber, space or predetermined vent area. Lastly, it is desirable to provide all of the aforementioned features in a battery pack assembly that is easy to manufacture at a low cost.